Toe-clip for bicycles



(Nd Model) "BQ A. THIEM. TOE CLIP FOR'BIGYOLES;

Patented Dec. 29,1896.

- maom l nfewtorr 1 1 7 dwamdfl? T fi/L'em Witness es:

i UNITED STATES I PATENT i 'QFFICE.

EDWARD A. THIEM, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

TOE-CLIP FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,286, dated December 29, 1896.

Application filed March 5, 1895. fierial'Noi 540,629. (No model.)

;hold it to the pedal, and which will also furnish a continuous support over the foot, so as to withstand the strain of a sudden stop or the hard pull in coming up steep grades where it is desired to pull up on the pedals.

To this end my clip is made up of a toe-receiving bend and a foot-embracing loop, said loop and bend being intertwisted or interlocked upon the top of the foot, and the footembracing loop being preferably formed with reverse rearwardly-extending bends adapted.

to furnish a support for the instep. The ends of the foot-loop are preferably slidably interlocked beneath the foot, so as to be secured in adjusted positions to the pedal. The end of the toe-holding bend also passes underneath the foot and is adjustably connected to the interlocked ends of the foot-embracing loop. I am thus able to adjust both the width and height of the clip so as to fit it to any size or shape of shoe. With the clip adjusted to fit the shoe of the rider a firm continuous support is furnished entirely around the foot, there being no parts which can be separated by the strain of an upward pull. The rider can thus pull up on one pedal while pushing down upon the other, thereby greatly increasing the driving power.

My invention further consists in the construction hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective View of one of the ordinary pedals of a bicycle. Fig. 2 is a similar View of my improved toe-clip. Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the clip, illustrating a modification in the manner of connecting the foot-embracing loop and toe-holding bend; and Figs. 4; and 5 are details of the lower portion of a modified form of clipin which the same is attached to the pedal without means for lateral adjustment of the foot-embracing loop.

In the drawings, A represents the ordinary bicycle-pedal, to the side bar 2 of which is adapted to be secured my improved toe-clip B. This clip is made up of .the foot-embracing loop 3 and the toe-holding bend 4, preferably formed of a single piece of wire intertwisted or interlocked together at 5 for the purpose more fully hereinafter described. The foot-embracing loop is formed upon each side of its connection with the toe-holding bend 4, with rearwardly-projecting bends 6. These bends bear upon the instep of the foot and furnish a better lifting-support.

The ends of the wire constituting the footembracing loop are each formed with an eye 7, encircling the opposite member, thus permitting the loop to be adjusted to fit differentsized shoes. The bend 4 extends around the toe and underneath the foot, its end 8 being downturned adjacen tthe interlocking ends of the foot-loop.

For securing the clip to the pedal I provide the clamp-plate 9, which is fitted over the interlocked ends of the foot-em bracing loop and is provided with an opening 10, through which the securing-bolt 11 is passed, the bolt projecting through the opening 12 in the side of the pedal and being secured by a nut 13.

The end 9 of the bend i may be raised or lowered to vary the height of the clip and the sides of the foot-embracing loop separated or closed to vary its width, the parts being held in such adjusted positions by means of the connection with the pedal.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified form of connection between the toe-holding bend and footembracing loops. In this form the parts are secured together by means of a sheet-metal clamp or sleeve 15, instead of being intertwisted, as shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate my toe-clip with the ends of the foot-embracing loop formed with eyes ll to receive the securing-bolt, instead of being adjustably connected, as shown in Fig. 2. Otherwise the construction of the clip is the same as my preferred construction.

In both forms of my clip I firmly intertwist or interlock the foot-embracing loop and toereceiving bend, thus securing a continuous stirrup-like support around the foot for the purposes above described,'and which will not separate under the strain. This is the important feature of my invention. In those clips which have guards the side guards either do not extend up over the foot or else they are not connected at the top, and thus become separated by the hard lifting strain.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A toe-clip for bicycles formed of a single piece of wire comprising a foot-holding section I and a toeembracing section with the ends of 5 a toe-receiving bend, adjustable side guards,

the wire underlapping beneath the ball of the foot and having eyes upon the ends embracing the adjacent underlapping sections and means for coupling said clip to a pedal to permit the lateral adjustment of the adjacentunderlapping sections, to vary the width of the clip, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a toe-clip of the class described, comprising a foot-embracing loop secured to the pedal in substantial alinement with the forward pedalplate, and a forwardly-projecting toe-receiving bend, whereby as the foot is in position upon the pedal, with the toe of the shoe projecting into the toe-loop, and the ball of the foot standing between the front and rear of the pedal, the foot-embracing loop will bear upon the top of the foot in a vertical plane with the front pedal-plate, so as to furnish a support at that point in the upward pull of the foot.

As an improved article of manufacture, a toe-clip of the class described, comprising a toe-holding bend and a foot-embracing loop connected thereto upon the top of the foot, said foot-embracing loop having its ends adjustably connected underneath the foot to accommodate shoes of varying widths.

i. As an improved article of manufacture,

a toe-clip of the class described, consisting of and means for securing the side guards at any desired width.

5. As an. improved article of manufacture, a bicycle pedal-clip, comprising a toe-holdin g bend, a continuous foot-embracing loop connected thereto, and means for adjusting both the lateral and vertical dimensions of said clip, and securing the same in adjusted positions to the pedal.

6. As an improved article of manufacture, 55 a bicycle-pedal toe-clip, consisting of a footembracing loop, with the ends slidably connected underneath the foot, to permit of their relativelylateral adjustment, the toe-holding bend rigidly connected to the top of said footloop,and engaging the interlocked ends of said first-named loop underneath the foot, and the clamp for securin g the ends of said loop and bend in adjusted positions to the pedal.

7. As an improved article of manufacture, a bicycle-pedal toe-clip, consisting of a single piece of wire forming the foot-eml'iracingloop, and a toe-receiving bend rigidly connected thereto on the top of the foot, and with their ends adj ustablyinterlocked beneath the foot, and means for securing them in adjusted. positions upon the pedal.

8. A toe-clip for bicycle-pedals, consisting of the toe-receivin g bend, the adjustable side guards, and the bolt for securing the side guards at any desired width and attaching the clip to the pedal.

9. The combination with the bicycle-pedal, of a toe-clip consisting of the U-shaped portion for the toe, the loop below, and the loops above said portion, the side guards, and the clamping-bolt for securing the side guards at any desired width.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD A. TIIIEM. Witnesses:

WM. A. PETERSON, C. N. TOODVVARDM 

